Monday - February 27, 2012

Tonight After Sundown

Find a place where you can see the horizons, and take a look outside tonight right after sundown. If it’s clear where you are, you will be able to see at least 4 of the visible planets.

Tonight, you can see the moon above Jupiter and Venus in the west after sunset. And, from the Northern Hemisphere now, you can see all five visible planets sometime between sundown and late evening for the next several weeks.

...

Given an unobstructed horizon, Northern Hemisphere residents may see four of the five visible planets as soon as darkness falls. Look first for the waxing crescent moon above the dazzling planets Jupiter and Venus in your western sky. When it’s dark enough – perhaps 40 to 60 minutes after sundown – draw an imaginary line downward, using the moon, Jupiter and Venus, to locate Mercury near the western horizon.

… stand in the place where you are, now face east

Once you’ve spotted these three, turn around and see red Mars low on the eastern horizon. Neat. Go inside now, but come back out before bed, around 10-11pm. Look to the east again, just a bit to the right of where you saw red Mars earlier and a hair lower in the sky. That golden colored “star” you see is Saturn.

Don’t worry if clouds are in the way of things tonight. This solar alignment will persist for another week or two. Actually, Mars will be at it’s closest point on March 3rd, so that night it will appear at its largest and brightest for the next 2 years.

I’ve been watching Venus and Jupiter dance with the moon for the past several nights. They’ve been quite brilliant in the clear sky. Tonight Mercury joins the mix, although you may have to go somewhere a bit higher up to see it clearly.

More info here.  And more here!

Keep looking up!

Posted by Drew458     on 02/27/2012 at 01:08 PM   
Filed Under: • Space •  
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